Laundry machine



June 19, 1956 J. A. DOLAN 2,750,776

LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed July 7, 1952 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

JOSEPH Fl. DOLQN F/a, 2,

June 19, 1956 J. A. DOLAN 2,750,776

LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed July '7, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JObEFl-l Q. DOLQN F/. 4, BY

QTTOIZNEHS June 19, 1956 .1. A. DOLAN 2,750,776

LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed July '7, 1952 I5 Sheets-Sheet. 3

9 H TIMEQMH INVENTOR. .JO5EPH Q. DOLQN QTTOQNEVS United States Patent 2,750,776 LAUNDRYMACHINE Joseph A. Dolan, Oakland, Calif.

Application July 7, 1952, Serial No. 297,538 7 9 Claims. or. 68-12 This invention relates to a laundry machine.

It is a main object of the present invention to provide a machine for washing, rinsing, drying and pressing laundry, particularly one in which these operations can be carried out automatically and in the sequence just enumerated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a resilient form about which a piece, or in some instances, several pieces of laundry can be folded to enable washing and rinsing, as well as drying and pressing of the piece or pieces of laundry on the form.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved form to enable handling a plurality of small pieces of laundry.

Various other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section in side elevation through a machine embodying the concepts of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view in elevation of a resilient form embodying the concepts of the present invention and about which a piece of laundry is shown folded.

Fig. 3 is a somewhat schematic side view in elevation showing part of the mechanism for operating the resilient rollers of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of the control system of the machine.

Fig. 6 is a view of a modified laundry-receiving form for receiving several small pieces of laundry.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the machine includes an upper unit 9 and a lower unit 11 having doors 13 and 15 respectively, providing access to the interior of the units. A single unit can be utilized by itself or can be used in stacked relation as shown in Fig. 1. Each unit is fluid'tight and is provided with outwardly flared flanges at its bottom, generally designated 9a for the upper unit 9, and 11a for the lower unit 11, to allow one unit to be stacked ontothe other. The bottom unit 11 can rest on the-floor or on a suitable base. Since the construction and operation of each unit is identical to the other, only upper unit 9 will be described in detail.

Supported by brackets 17 within unit 9 are upper and lower foraminous plates 19. Associated with each plate are a series of bodily stationary resilient rollers 21 mounted for axial rotation in the sides of unit 9 and having their upper portions extending through slots 23 formed in plates 19 to extend slightly above the upper surfaces of such plates.

Above each set of rollers 21 are a series of bodily movable and axially rotatable resilient rollers 25 mounted for movement toward and away from 'rollers 21 in a manner and by means to be hereinafter described.

Adapted to be shoved betweenthe rollers 21 and'25, of each set of rollers, is a form 27in the shapeofa V and constructed from a resilient foraminous sheet metal piece bent as shown in the drawing. A piece of laundry, designated by the reference numeral 29 in Fig. 2, can be folded about the form so as to cover the outer faces of each leaf thereof, the piece of laundry being arranged in a single or double layer depending on its size and the desire of the user. The covered form is adapted to be shoved into the machine between a set of rollers 23 and 25, the form having sufficient resiliency such that it can be closed without permanently deforming the same, so that when the closing forces are removed, the form will open as shown in the case of the upper form in Fig. 1.

To wash the piece or pieces of laundry in a unit, a suitable quantity of soap, detergent or similar material is deposited therewithin, the door closed, rollers 25 brought down to compress the form, the rollers oscillated to cause a reciprocating movement of the form, and water directed onto the laundry pieces through a series of nozzles 31 which are connected to and supplied with water by means of piping 33. A soapy bath is soon provided by reciprocation of the forms in the mixture of water and soap or detergent. There is an outlet drain 35 for each unit of the machine which is closed during the washing cycle by means and in a manner to be hereinafter described.

After a sufiicient period of time has elapsed to complete the washing cycle, the rinsing cycle begins. At this time, drain 35 is opened, and the wash water is dis charged. Fresh water is continued to be supplied through the nozzles 31 to effect a thorough rinsing of the clothes. During this time, rollers 25 are urged further down to apply an increased pressure to the covered forms to express the wash water from the pieces of laundry.

After the elapse of a predetermined period, the rinsing cycle is over, and the drying cycle commences. The supply of water through nozzles 31 is cut off, but the rollers 25 remain in their down position and are urged farther down to apply a still greater pressure to the covered forms, and are oscillated to cause reciprocation of the forms to express the rinse water from the laundry. Hot air is supplied to unit 9 by a hot air system generally entitled 37.

After elapse of a predetermined period, rollers 25 are raised to allow the forms to openand expose the sides of the pieces of laundry, disposed directly against the forms, to the air through the openings in the forms. The air supply is continued so that the clothes are further dried. At this time, rollers 25 are not only raised but also not oscillated. When the clothes have been suitably dried the pressing cycle can commence, the rollers 25 being lowered to a position to apply approximat ly the same pressure as applied during the drying cycle, and are oscillated to cause a reciprocation'of the forms to facilitate the pressing of the clothes .by the cooperation of the oscillating rollers 21 and 25 and the forms. After a predetermined time has elapsed, the over-all operating cycle is completed, rollers 25 are raised, the hot air is discontinued, door 13 of unit ,9 can be opened, and the forms removed with the pressed piece or pieces of laundry thereon.

The mechanism for operating the rollers will be now described and thereafter the control system for controlling the various operations of the machine will be explained. Referring to Figs. 1, 3 and 4, it is apparent that unit 9 has spaced inner and outer side walls 9b and 90.. The ends of rollers 25, extending through arcuate slots 39 formed in inner sides 9b, are rotatably mounted in the free ends of levers 41 provided at each side of unit 9, said levers being pivoted at 43 on the outer sides (see particularly Fig. 4). Mounted adjacent each end of each of rollers 25 of a set of rollers is a spur gear 45 disposed in engagement with" a rack 47, which is slidably .mounted in a bracket 49, said bracket being carried by Patented June 19, 1956 the rollers 25 as is apparent from Fig. 4. By this arrangement the levers ofeach set ofrollers are moved in unison and upon reciprocation of the racks, the rollers are oscillated in unison.

The two lefthand levers 41' of each set of levers as the parts are depicted in Figs. 1 and 3 (there being two sets of levers for unit 9, an upper set of six and a lower set of six, the levers of each set comprising three levers on one side and three levers on the opposite side of unit 9), are fixedly connected to a shaft 48 which is journaled at its ends of the sides of unit 9 so that when either of the lefthand levers of a set of rollers is moved, the other levers, brackets and rollers will move in unison.

One of the lefthand levers of each set oflevers is formed bell crank in configuration providing an end 50 which is connected to an actuator rod 51 by a horizontally operable lost motion connection 53. As is apparent from Fig. 3 the upper and lower lefthand ends 59 of the two sets of levers of unit 9 are connected to actuator rod The actuator rod 51 is adapted to be raised to lower all the rollers 25 of unit 9 by a hydraulic actuator 55, which is spring pressed to a contracted position as shown in 3. Water under pressure is delivered to the hydraulic actuator through a conduit 57 in a manner and by means to be presently described. It is apparent that when hydraulic actuator 55 is supplied with different pre; .tres, different pressures of rollers 25 against pieces of laundry on the forms can be effected.

Rollers 25 can be oscillated by means of a motor 59, which drives by means of a speed reduction unit 61, a gear 63 which may form part of the speed reduction unit, and which gear is connected by a pitman 65 and a connecting rod 67 to gears 69 and 71, rotatably mounted on shafts 48. Spur gears 69 and 71 are disposed in driving engagement with spur gears 73, there being one for each set of rollers 25 and which are fixed to the rollers (see Fig. 4).

When motor 59 is energized, gears 69 and 71 are oscillated by the pitman and connecting rod, so as to reciprocate racks 47 through gears 73 and 45, the latter being in driving engagement with the racks, so that rollers 25 of each set are oscillated (it is pointed out that the lefthand rollers, as the parts are depicted in Fig. 3, are driven directly by gears 73 whereas the remaining rollers are driven by the racks 47).

As is apparent from Fig. 4, flexible boots 75 are secured to the inner sides 9b and to flat sides of brackets 4-9, to prevent leakage of water from the interior of the unit.

Now referring to Fig. 5, a control system is shown for causing the sequence of operation previously described. The control system includes a timer motor 79 connected across power input lines 81 and 83, a main switch 85 for initiating and terminating overall operating cycles, and a timer 87 mechanically connected to the motor to be driven thereby and being of conventional construction for causing sequential operation of a plurality of controlled mechanisms. The timer may be of the camactuated switch type.

The timer is operated when switch 85 is closed to supply current through leads 89 to a solenoid operated valve 91 (biased to closed position), to open piping 33 to supply water to nozzles 31. Just previous to this, the timer supplies current through leads 93 to a pressure regulator solenoid valve 95 which supplies water under a predetermined pressure through conduits 57 to actuator 55 to cause downward movement of rollers 25 to apply a predetermined pressure to the forms having pieces of laundry folded thereabout. Also just previous to the supply of water, current is supplied by timer 87 through leads 97- to a solenoid operated valve 99 (which is spring biased to open position) to close drain 35 for unit 9. After rollers 25 have been moved down into firm engagement with the pieces of laundry on the forms disposed between rollers 21 and 25, timer 87 supplies current through leads 101 to motor 59 to startoscillation of, rollers 25- so as to cause reciprocation of the. forms; contacted by, said.

rollers and efiect a thorough washing of the clothes by means of-the soapy water within the unit.

At the end of the washing, cycle, timer 87 de-energizes solenoid valve 99 to open drain 35 to allow the rinsing cycle to commence so that the soapy water drains out through the drain as fresh water is continued to be supplied through nozzles 31. At this time, timer 87 deenergizes pressure regulator. solenoid valve and energizes a second pressure regulator solenoid valve 103 through leads 105 to supply a higher pressure to actuator 55 to apply an increased pressure of, rollers, 25 against the pieces of laundry on theforms toetfectively express the wash water from the pieces of laundry.

After the rinsing cycle, has been completed, timer 87 operates to de-energize valve 91 to cut oil the supply of water, and energizes the motor of hot air system blower 37 to cause hot air to be delivered to the interior of the unit to begin the drying operation. Substantially simultaneously with this action, timer 8 7 tie-energizes pressure regulator solenoid va lve 103 and energizes a third pressure regulator solenoidvalve 107 through leads 199 to supply a still higher pressure to actuator 55 to move rollers 25 into still firmer engagement with the pieces of laundry to express the water therefrom.

After a predetermined time, timer 87 de-energizes motor 59 and solenoid valve 107 (in that order), so that rollers 25 are raised and no longer oscillated, but the supply of air continues to effectively. dry the pieces of laundry which are fully exposed because of the opening movement of the forms.

Upon the lapse of a further period of time, timer 87 again energizes solenoid valve 107 to move rollers down and after the engagement of rollers 25 with the covered forms, motor 59'is again energized to cause oscillation of the rollers and a consequent reciprocation of forms 27 to effectively press the clothes on the forms by the co-action of said formsand rollers 21 and 25. Thereafter, timer 87 serves to de-energize motor 59 and solenoidvalve 107 (in that order), so that the rollers are raised, permitting the forms with the pressed clothes thereon to be removed when the door 13 is opened. Lower unit 11 operates in an identical manner.

A modification of the laundry holding form is disclosed in Fig. 6, this modification being especially adapted for holding small pieces of laundry. Referring to Fig. 6, the form there disclosed includes a foraminous tray adapted to receive pieces of laundry 117, preferably in folded condition, which pieces of laundry are then covered with a foraminousplate 119. The tray with the pieces of laundry therein is shoved into the machine between rollers 21 and 25 and the sequence of operations carried out in the identical fashion as previously described, so that clothes are first washed, thenrinsed, dried and then pressed.

By the present invention, a laundry machine has been provided in which resilient formsprovided by the present invention and having pieces of laundry carried thereon can be inserted into the machine, washed, rinsed, dried and pressed'in an automatic sequence of operations by merely closing the mainswitch. The main switch is so connected'to the timer that the timer automatically opens the main switch when an over-all cycle of operation has been completed.

While-I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is tobe understood that various changes may be madein its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A laundrymachine comprising a resilient normally open foraminousform on which a piece or several pieces the rollers and form are disposed, means for supplying water to the chamber, means for draining the chamber, and means for supplying hot :air to the chamber.

2. A laundry machine comprising a resilient normally open foraminous form on which a piece or several pieces of laundry can be mounted, opposed roller means for compressing the form, means for alternately rotating said roller means in opposite directions for reciprocating said form therebetween, a fluid tight chamber within which the rollers and form are disposed, means for supplying water to the chamber, means for draining the chamber, and means for supplying hot air to the chamber, and means for causing the roller means to apply different pressures to the form during difierent stages of operation of the machine.

3. A laundry machine comprising a resilient normally open forarninous form on which a piece or several pieces of laundry can be mounted, opposed roller means for compressing the form, means for alternately rotating said roller means in opposite directions for reciprocating said form therebetween, a fluid tight chamber within which the rollers and form are disposed, means for supplying water to the chamber, means for draining the chamber, and means for supplying hot air to the chamber, and means for causing the roller means to apply one pressure to the clothes during the supply of water and another and higher pressure to the form during the supply of hot air.

4. A laundry machine component comprising a one piece resilient normally open foraminous form on which a piece or pieces of laundry can be mounted, said form having a V shape when open.

5. A laundry machine comprising a fo-raminous form for carrying a piece or pieces of laundry, opposed roller means for compressing the form, means for alternately rotating said roller means in opposite directions for reciprocating said form therebetween, a fluid tight chamber Within which the rollers and form are disposed, means for supplying water to the chamber, means for draining the chamber, means for supplying hot air to the chamber, and timer means for controlling the operation of the above named meansso that the draining means is closed during a washing cycle, open during a rinsing cycle, and the water cut off during the supply of hot air.

6. A laundry machine comprising a foraminous form for carrying a piece or pieces of laundry, opposed roller means for compressing the form, means for alternately rotating said roller means in opposite directions for reciprocating said form therebetween, a fluid tight chamber within which the rollers and form are disposed, means for supplying water to the chamber, means for draining the chamber, means for supplying hot air to the chamber, timer means for controlling the operation of the above named means so that the draining means is closed during a washing cycle, open during a rinsing cycle, and the water cut off during the supply of hot air, and means for causing the roller means to apply different pressures to the form during difierent stages of operation of the machine.

7. A laundry machine comprising a foraminous form for carrying a piece or pieces of laundry, opposed roller means for compressing the form, means for alternately rotating said roller means in opposite directions for reciprocating said form therebetween, a fluid tight chamber within which the rollers and form are disposed, means for supplying water to the chamber, means for draining the chamber, means for supplying hot air to the chamber, timer means for controlling the operation of the above named means so that the draining means is closed during a washing cycle, open during a rinsing cycle, and the water cut off during the supply of hot air, and means for causing the roller means to apply one pressure to the form during the washing cycle, an increased pressure during the rinsing cycle, and a still greater pressure during at least a portion of the period during which hot air is supplied to effect a pressing of the piece or pieces of laundry.

8. A laundry machine comprising a forarninous form for carrying a piece or pieces of laundry, opposed roller means for compressing the form, means for alternately rotating said roller means in opposite directions for reciprocating said form therebetween, a fluid tight chamber within which the rollers and form are disposed, means for supplying water to the chamber, means for draining the chamber, means for supplying hot air to the chamber, timer means for controlling the operation of the above named means so that the draining means is closed during a washing cycle, open during a rinsing cycle, and the water cut oil during the supply of hot air, and means for causing the roller means to apply one pressure to the form during the washing cycle, an increased pressure during the rinsing cycle, and a still greater pressure during at least a portion of the period during which hot air is supplied to efiect a pressing of the piece or pieces of laundry, the form being resilient and having a normally open V shape.

9. A laundry machine comprising a fluid tight chamber, a foraminous form within the chamber adapted to carry a piece or several pieces of laundry, means for washing, rinsing, drying and pressing the piece or pieces of laundry on the form, the form being compressible, the last named means including roller means for compressing and reciprocating the form, and means for causing the rollers to apply a first pressure to the form during the washing operation, an increased pressure during the rins ing operation, and a still greater pressure during the drying and pressing operations.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 761,532 McCulley May 31, 1904 2,295,955 La Page Sept. 15, 1942 2,521,100 Sublette Sept. 5, 1950 2,555,268 Chamberlain May 29, 1951 2,609,623 Miller Sept. 29, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 536,646 Germany Oct. 27, 1931 

